04/19/24
July 03, 2008
Sonics are Oklahoma City-bound: "The transition and move of this team begins tomorrow morning," Bennett said in Oklahoma City, where he announced that season ticket sales for the soon-to-be named franchise at Ford Center would begin Thursday.
posted by tommytrump to basketball at 04:19 PM - 20 comments
OH YEAH IT IS!! The NBA is really getting out of hand pushing it's weight around. The saddest part is there may be no end in sight.
posted by emancipated107 at 06:14 PM on July 03, 2008
It needed to happen, but OK is city not the best place. They were bad in Seattle they will be bad in OK city I believe that some teams are just not meant to be champions. like the bills browns astros rangers kings Kobe without shaq.
posted by Adan at 06:14 PM on July 03, 2008
Seattle was far from the weakest market in the league. If they can move this easily, that sends a message to the other teams, especially since the Oklahoma City Bombers (or whatever) aren't taking the Sonics' name, history or colors with them: Every other town had better use public money to get that new stadium built when your owner wants it, or your franchise is moving to Seattle. Are you listening, Sacramento/Orlando/Memphis/any-of-about-a-dozen-other-cities? Pro sports are based on a certain level of greed, sure, but man, what a crooked piece of shit business the NBA has become. It's become as greedy and fan-hostile as the NFL, fergodsake.
posted by chicobangs at 07:28 PM on July 03, 2008
I wonder what the players think. We're moving to OK City. YAY!!!!!!!!!!!! or SHIT!!!!!
posted by cheemo13 at 10:18 PM on July 03, 2008
Apropos of not much... ... when the Rockets moved from San Diego to Houston, at least the mascot made better sense
posted by bobfoot at 11:27 PM on July 03, 2008
The NBA is expanding into cities Greyhound buses don't go. At least they're making sense by not taking the SuperSonics nickname. I mean, what better name for a team from the coastal desert of California than "Lakers?" And we all like to go to those old smoky bistros to hear good ol' authentic Utah jazz, don't we? I wonder what this portends for Okies vis a vis the other, dominant big-time professional franchise in town, the Sooners. Maybe they sense the glory days of OU football are behind them. But unless the OKC nee SuperSonics get a lot better, they'll likely continue to be a lottery team each season around the time the Sooners lose another Bluebonnet Bowl. In a few years, this NBA franchise will return to the league's roots and move to Rochester.
posted by Monkeyhawk at 05:14 AM on July 05, 2008
I'm hoping they name the team something like the OKC Bandits, or Robber Barons. I blame Stern, that starbucks guy, and Bennet et al for this fiasco. If taxpayer money is going to pay for stadiums, each household should get one pair of tickets to one home game a year for free.
posted by apoch at 06:29 AM on July 05, 2008
I live in OKC and told of a website that is listing potential team names and one is the OKC Red Necks! I kind of like that one. But Bandits would work well too if you know OK's history. As for living in OKC, it's really a great place to live. The Hornet players seemed to like OKC when they were here for 2 seasons.
posted by lil'red at 09:33 AM on July 05, 2008
On what planet are the Oklahoma Sooners' glory days behind them, MonkeyHawk? They've won 11 games each of the last two seasons and reached a BCS bowl, and this year they're the third-ranked team in Athlon's preseason poll. As for the name, I'm partial to Oklahoma Sexuals.
posted by rcade at 11:01 AM on July 05, 2008
As for the name, I'm partial to Oklahoma Sexuals. ...BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! genuis.
posted by Captain Shugg at 12:27 PM on July 05, 2008
Oklahoma Sexuals............Excellent!!! and maybe the Sooners would adopt the mascot too?????
posted by NoAirplay at 01:41 PM on July 05, 2008
They were bad in Seattle they will be bad in OK city I believe that some teams are just not meant to be champions. like the bills browns astros rangers kings Kobe without shaq. Hey now, the Sonics were champions before. http://www.nba.com/sonics/history/1979champs.html It sucks that they left Seattle, but I'm glad that weren't forced to stay through the trial. Once the team was sold to Bennett, it was obvious they were gone. I agree it was part-Schultz and part-Stern's fault. Schultz for running the team into the ground (Wally Walker ?!?!?!?!?!) and then selling to an out-of-state group and Stern for permitting the sale to the out-of-state group. I doubt he did much to try to convince Schultz to keep the ownership local. I don't blame Bennett, though. He put up the money for the team, so he should be able to do what he wants with it. He's done so pretty ruthlessly, but also legally (as far as I can tell). As a Seattle Sonics fan, I have a real bitter taste in my mouth - for now, I wouldn't even want a new team in Seattle.
posted by chamo at 02:24 PM on July 05, 2008
I thought that Seattle was a key city in Stern's plan for NBA world conquest. "Gateway to the Pacific Rim" and all that jazz.
posted by Newbie Walker at 07:51 PM on July 05, 2008
Yeah tough.. howard schultz shouldn't have sold the team to an out of town guy.. when u are lookin for the most moolah and best deal who's to say that the buyer has any interested in keeping it in that city. ANd please please don't add a team in Seattle.. basketball is diluted ENOUGH.. no more expansion!!!!!
posted by Chicagojeff at 05:22 AM on July 06, 2008
If they're not named the Oklahoma Surreys, I'm not watching (okay, I'm not watching anyways, but just think of the floor show!)
posted by kokaku at 10:29 AM on July 07, 2008
If they're not named the Oklahoma Surreys... The problem with this name is that if all the players adopt the shaved head look, there would be no surrey with the fringe on top. OOOOOH, someone put this man away for a while, please.
posted by Howard_T at 01:24 PM on July 07, 2008
If they're not named the Oklahoma Surreys... They should move them to the new Sprint Center, ya know, cause everything's up to date in Kansas City.
posted by hawkguy at 02:31 PM on July 07, 2008
I should care that the Sonics are leaving, but I just don't. I have tried to get upset, but I just can't. My interest dwindled after George Karl was let go. Seemed to me that at that point the emphasis shifted away from winning to something else. Also helps to explain why Nate McMillan, Mr. Sonic, left for Portland. Perhaps he knew that there might not be a Seattle club for much longer. I wonder if the great Kevin Callabro, the Sonics TV guy for so long, will be following the club? I'll miss him more than the team.
posted by THX-1138 at 02:57 PM on July 07, 2008
I hate it when sports teams move. Unless, of course, I hate said sports team.
posted by lsutigers96 at 08:28 PM on July 07, 2008
BOO. This is messed-up.